The fake iphone 4 from China are called sciphone and E9000, they are all over Ebay, does anyone know where to buy one in Hong Kong or China? And how much do they cost? If you have one, is it reliable? How does it compare to the really thing? What OS does it run on?

Thanks!

When I was in Zhuhai a couple of months ago, they have these phones in the Gongbei underground shopping complex. I was offered an Iphone 5 ( the real one not even out yet) for 600 rmb. As I did not show any interest, the price quickly dropped to 250 after a short while. Still did not buy it, but bought a phone that is shaped like a Ferrari for 250rmb, dual sim card.

i would forget about the clone for the Iphone4. If you can wait about 4 weeks after the iphone 5 which is rumored to come out in early Oct, I would get that instead. Why only about 4 weeks, after the Iphone 4 came out, it took only 4 weeks for a clone to appear on the market. See what are the reviews are.If there are positive, buy that instead.

I read some reviews on the Iphone 4 mentioned it was slow and connecting a wifi was sometimes a problem. Note also there are a few different models of the clone.

[ Last edited by  Weelock at 12-9-2011 15:41 ]

I do not get why buy a fake iphone, just to show off in front of ur friends ? U could buy any android phone, the range of price is so large... Different from iphone, but it does the job...

For me it'd be the novelty factor - if the phone is cheap enough I'd buy it just to show folks back home what the fake iPhone4 looks like .  

A top of the line Android phone is basically the same price as an iPhone.  I know the Galaxy S2 goes for close to NT20000/$700 USD - that's what you'll pay for an unlocked iPhone4 in the US.    An HTC Evo 3d or Sensation isn't far off.  Sure, you can buy a cheaper Android phone, but I don't think the lower end ones compare to the iPhone all that well.

For me, it is the price, the real iphone 4 costs an arm and a leg, without subscription, it would cost about HK$6000. It is even more costly with the iphone 5 if you could get one. Plus I like the feel and size of the fake iphone and it has more features like memory card slot, java, radio and swappable battery.

I don't see the point to buy a fake iphone either, except to have fun. You have many other cheaper phones very decent.

But if you really want an iphone, you can wait for the iphone 4.5 which should be out soon. It's a cheap version of the iphone 4, with less memory, and made from previous iphones components.

i can't see the appeal in buying fake electronic goods. if you don't even know what OS it runs, how will you find apps, support, etc? not to mention security issues.

Android is a viable alternative and various manufacturers make quality, legit handsets. but the version on Android is dependent on the chipset, everyone i know who owns one says they're "clunky" compared to iOS. another issue is the growing array of malware for Android.

mobility is greatly on the rise and you can expect competent criminals to increasingly target the sector.

China makes all sorts of cheap cruddy stuff, from milk powder with added-melamine to fake electronics. this isn't some bogus Gucci rubbish you're buying, this is a device that you'll load your personal info onto, which can be sniffed via Wi-Fi/3G/Bluetooth. you want a fake one? really??

JtB

the fake IPhones do work but the software is totally different ... the problem is their battery ... understand they die within weeks of purchase

I like to try out fake stuff not for the false status that the product may bring, but to see how it compares with the real stuff.  Off course it's not going to be 100% otherwise they would sell it for regular price.  But copying is an art and an economic phenomenon in China.  Consider the creativity and technology needed to produce a fake egg (I think this was a while ago) that will actually fool people?  I do feel guilty sometimes for feeding into this bootlegging industry.

Couple of fake things I've bought before:

Rolex watch: I was just curious to know what the difference was between "A" grade and the genuine article for a certain model.  I later bought a real one. For a while I played a game with my friend - is it real or fake today? magnifying glasses not allowed.

Bose Headphones (not in-ear or the noise cancellation models):  150RMB vs approx 1500HKD.  I'm not an audiophile so I couldn't really tell a "huge" difference.  If I had to put it in numbers, I would say 70% like the real thing.  But I think the sound quality of fake started to deteriorate.

i bought a fake iphone 3 once just for fun because it was super cheap and supported 2 sim cards.  i accidently droped it on my table when i was holding it.. fell no more than 5-6 inches and it stopped working... some wierd error.. haha.

in SZ, the most common places to find the fake iPhones would be at the Luohu Shopping Center (the one right next to the Luohu train station), and at the various electronic malls on HuaQiang Lu between Hongli Road to the north and Shennan Road to the South in Futian.

Well it's not really a fake at that point anymore is it?  The feature set (regardless of whether it works of not) is completely different.  The only thing the same about the fake and the real is the printed "iPhone" label.  Besides that the two phones are nothing alike.

I should've said "iphone like" instead of fake. Agreed, the fake ones and the real ones are nothing alike except the looks, they have different OS, different features, and different apps.

Since you are going to Taishan, or China soon, just walk into a place that sells cell phones and most likely you will see a few fake iphones 4.

Like I said before, just wait three four weeks after the Iphone 5 and a clone should be appear.